US-backed Kurdish forces launch final attacks against IS in eastern Syria

DAMASCUS, Feb. 9 -- The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) started on Saturday the final attacks against the Islamic State (IS) militant group in eastern Syria, Kurdish activists reported.

Following the evacuation of more than 20,000 civilians from the town of Baghouz in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour Province, the SDF started the night operation against the last IS-held pocket in the eastern Euphrates region, according to Mustafa Balli, head of the SDF media office.

Balli said the battle aims to eliminate all remaining IS militants in Baghouz.

The SDF has been on a crushing offensive to root out the IS from the eastern Euphrates region since last September.

The SDF managed, with the help of the United States, to defeat the IS in much of the eastern Euphrates region.

According to the Observatory, more than 37,000 civilians, including dozens of IS militants, have fled the last IS-held pocket to areas controlled by the SDF in the eastern Euphrates region since last December.